Why Work-Life Balance Is Overrated

Proof That Work-Life Balance Is Totally Overrated

Most athletes reach their athletic prime (depending on the sport) in their 20s. Although you’ll reach your career prime much later, you will be in your physical prime during your 20s. You will never have as much energy or drive as you have right now. This is the time to go for it, to give it your all (and that means extra hours). Don’t waste this drive on work-life balance.

You can also use your age to get through doors and obtain mentors who will show you the ropes. Older, experienced professionals love working with young, driven individuals. These mentors can open doors for you and accelerate your career.

Companies value your ambition, ideas, and fresh outlook, and they’re willing to drop their older and more experienced employees (who are twice as expensive) to give you a shot. Just remember, although people will value your ambition, they will underestimate your capabilities. They think Millennials are entitled, so prove them wrong.

Because you should do what you love

Not having a work-life balance only works if you are doing what you love. I wouldn’t be able to work on Benchmark Intelligence 80 hours a week if I didn’t love it.

Only work on what you love doing. When you’re doing what you love, it’s not work; it’s your lifestyle. It’s a part of who you are.

If you don’t love what you’re doing right now, then change your occupation/field. When you’re doing something you don’t love, the days go slow and the only thing you have to look forward to are the weekends. If you love what you’re doing, the weekends are just another day of the week. Yeah, they’re great, but you’re having fun all week grinding and hustling.

Often, obtaining your dream job involves tons of work getting there. Start as soon as you can and pursue it aggressively until it comes to fruition.

Because it's OK to party hard, but only 10% as hard as you work

Listen, when I say a work-life balance is overrated, I don’t mean you can’t have any sort of life. I work 80+ hours and I still manage to have fun — quite a bit, to be honest. With that being said, I don’t watch television or play video games or anything like that in my free time. I only spend the very little free time I have with my family and friends, either working out, traveling or going out.

Your friends, family and career should always come first before anything else. Even with having fun being a distant second, you can still party hard — just make sure you’re only partying 10% as hard as you work. As you progress in your career, you will develop more time and money to have fun, but you need to put in the work first.